The attitude of subduing Mara

Keywords : Wat Ratchaburana, Buddha image, The attitude of subduing Mara, Chao Sam Phraya National Museum

Site common name	Chao Sam Phraya National Museum
Type of artwork	Sculpture
Sub district	Pratu Chai
District	Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Province	Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Region	Central
Country	Thailand
Geographic Coordinates Decimal degree	Lat : 14.350887 Long : 100.561788
Geographic Coordinates UTM	Zone : 47 P Hemisphere : N E : 668418.08 N : 1587102.32
Place of artwork	It is exhibited in the exhibition room of the National Museum of Chao Sam Phraya.

History of production	According to Luangprasert ak-sornnithi’s chronicles in Ratchaburana temple, it shows that this Buddha image was built in year 427 in the reign of Chao Samphraya (Some chronicles stated that it was built in year 418). This style of Buddha s called “the 3^rd generation of U-Thong Buddha”. They can be found a lot in Kru Phraprang in Ratchaburana temple. It is then believed that this is a famous style in mid 20^th century B.E.
Production process	Casting bronze
Art	The attitude of subduing Mara is sitting on the plain lotus base without any decorations. This style reflects the style of before Ayutthaya – early Ayutthaya or the 1^st and the 2^nd generation of U-Thong Buddha images. It is also related to the large section of Sukhothai arts. The significant characteristics that transfer from the 1^st and the 2^nd generation of U-Thong Buddha images are the sitting position on a plain lotus base in the attitude of subduing Mara. The hair looks like the thorns of jackfruit. The oval face, flame-like halo, and curve eyebrows show the relation with Sukhothai arts. The straight hairline style is also associated with a large section of Sukhothai arts. This Buddha image wears the rope with a long-large straight seam. The right hand is on a leg. The style is gentler than the 1^st and the 2^nd generation of U-Thong Buddha and this might relate to Sukhothai’s Buddha image style.
Key academic information	This Buddha is an example of the 3^rd generation of U-Thong. It is a continuation of the 1^st and the 2^nd generations of U-Thong mixed with the inspiration from Sukhothai. The 3^rd generation of U-Thong Buddha are found a lot in Kru Phra Prang in Ratchaburana temple, including this Buddha. This temple was built in the reigh of Chao Samphraya in year 424. This shows that the relationship with Sukhothai influences arts in early Ayutthaya period.
Notice	This statue was built not too long before Ayutthaya. Scholars call this Buddha “The 3^rd generation of U-Thong Buddha image”
Period	Historical Period
Art period	Ayutthaya
Age	Mid 20th century B.E
Religion	Buddhism
Religion and belief	Buddhism

Type of License	Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)
Rights	Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre
Date of record creation	2016-09-30
Record creator	Rungroj Thamrungraeng
Bibliography	Sakchai Saising. Buddha Images in Thailand, Style, Development, and Beliefs of Thai people. Bangkok: Department of Art History, Faculty of Archeology, Silpakorn University, 2013. Santi Leksukhum. Ayutthaya Arts: The work of the royal land. 3rd edition, Bangkok: Ancient City, 2007.